Japan funds drinking water and environmental projects

[Friday, February 01, 2008 - 9.30 GMT]  

The Government of Japan provided a sum of US $ 121,589 (approximately Rs. 13.1million) towards the two projects, “The Project for Rehabilitation and Construction of Hand Pump Tube Wells in Drought Affected Areas” and “The Project for Mangrove Conservation and Sustainable Livelihood Development.”

These projects will enable the drought affected population to access to drinking water facilities in selected locations in the North Central, North Western, Central provinces and improve environment and livelihood in selected areas in the Southern province.

The funds released to the National Water Supply and Drainage Board will be used to rehabilitate 40 hand pump tube wells and construct 20 new hand pump tube wells in Anuradhapura, Kurunegala and Matale districts to benefit a total of 1,350 families directly.

The funds released to the Project for Mangrove Conservation and Sustainable Livelihood Development will be utilized to facilitate the planting of 100,000 mangroves along the lower Gingana river and seaside, to provide environmental awareness to school children and community leaders, and to create self-employment programs, combining the use of natural resources and conservation of environment in Gintota, Galle, which will benefit 450 families directly and more than 5,000 families indirectly.